Bizarro

For the coaster of this name at Six Flags New England, see Bizarro (Six Flags New England). For the former name in Six Flags Discovery Kingdom see Medusa (Six Flags Discovery Kingdom).

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Bizarro
Bizarro's lift hill, first drop and vertical loop
Location	Six Flags Great Adventure
Park section	Frontier Adventures
Type	Steel - Floorless
Status	Open
Opened	May 23, 2009 (Former Medusa opened April 2, 1999)
Manufacturer	Bolliger & Mabillard
Designer	Werner Stengel
Model	Floorless
Lift/launch system	Chain lift hill
Height	142 ft (43 m)
Drop	132 ft (40 m)
Length	3,985 ft (1,215 m)
Max speed	61 mph (98 km/h)
Inversions	7
Duration	2:20
Cost	$15,000,000 USD
Height restriction	4 ft 6 in (137 cm)
Bizarro at RCDB Pictures of Bizarro at RCDB
Amusement Parks Portal

Bizarro (formerly known as Medusa) is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ. It was designed by Bolliger & Mabillard. Medusa was the world's first floorless roller coaster, when it debuted in 1999. It has seven inversions:

• 119-foot Vertical loop
• 95-foot Diving loop
• Zero G roll
• 75-foot Cobra roll (one element containing two inversions in one)
• Interlocking corkscrews after the mid-course brake run

The roller coaster track is royal blue and its supports are purple. The track was originally painted in a lime green. Bizarro has three trains, which as of the 2008 season have all been in use full-time. Each train has 8 cars, 7 with a single row of 4 seats and the last with a row of 2, for a total of 30 riders per train. The last row was originally 4 seats, but the middle two were removed on each train to install a computer module. Each seat on every train has a speaker to the left and right of the rider. A recording of Bizarro, the character, fighting and talking is played for the duration of the ride. Frequently, while the train is braked, waiting to enter the station platform, riders hear Bizarro chanting his name and "Bizarro #1".

Bizarro's track (not counting pre-lift hill track) comes closer to the queue paths than that of any other coaster in the park. Kingda Ka's queue formerly passed under its launch track, but this section was later closed off for safety reasons. Bizarro's entrance is directly underneath the Cobra Roll, so the train comes within a few feet of the path as it enters and exits the Cobra Roll. It also comes very close to the queue between the Diving Loop and Zero-G Roll. There is a tree here that almost touches the track and is brushed by each passing train.

Bizarro offers one of the most bizarre views in the park during the ride: While going around the Diving Loop, Kingda Ka's tower is visible directly ahead upside down. This is most noticeable from the far right seat of the front row. Bizarro's On-ride camera is located between the Zero-G roll and Cobra Roll. It is mounted to the rear of the entrance sign.

Between the 2006 and 2007 seasons, Medusa received a sponsorship from the H. J. Heinz Company. There were many small signs throughout the queue area that feature the Heinz ketchup bottle. All but one have been replaced with LCD screens, but one remains on the exit ramp.

In 2003, the floorless coaster Scream! debuted at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Its layout is a mirror image of Bizarro.

Transformation in 2009

An image of Bizarro when it was Medusa.

On October 23, 2008, Six Flags announced that Medusa would be re-designed for the 2009 operating season. The modification is similar to that of the re-design of X² at Magic Mountain. Additions to the ride include a complete re-theming of the ride, pyrotechnics, fog machines, water effects, and audio. On April 1, 2009, the roller coaster title "Medusa" was changed to "Bizarro" and it opened to the public on May 23, 2009.^[1]

Medusa's 2009 transformation sports a new theme resembling Bizarro, an evil clone of Superman. The track was repainted blue with dark purple supports and special effects were added, including building structures, open-aired "S" shields, fiery flame effects, and extensive LED lighting that turns on at night. The trains were also repainted and received on-board audio. There are several sound clips from popular movies and actors along the ride, including clips of The Joker saying, "Let's put a smile on that face," and "here we go," quotes from Will Ferrell, such as "shake and bake" from Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and, "Doesn't anyone notice this? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills!" from Zoolander, and multiple quotes from Superman movies, such as "you have great power," and "kneel before Zod!"

Ride Experience

Quotes below that are in quotation marks are from movies. Quotes not in quotation marks were specially recorded for the ride.

While in the station, and loading, riders can hear the following quotes:

• Lex Luthor, the greatest criminal mind on Earth
• The Metropolis train system is now boarding.
• What are your coordinates?
• 017757, Sir!
• Perimeter blocked?
• Yes, no one is allowed in.
• We're standing on the edge.
• "Buckle your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night." - All About Eve
• He chose... poorly." - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Trains pull out of the station, and make a left hand turn before climbing the lift hill. While climbing up the lift hill, the following quotes can be heard:

• "I think he's coming Mr. Luthor" - Superman: The Movie
• Let's move out...(footsteps)
• Keep moving
• "You have great power" - Superman Returns
• What's your status?
• It seems to be a wormhole sir.
• "We're on a mission from God" - The Blues Brothers
• "We're sitting on top of the story of the century here!" - Superman: The Movie
• "The decision of the council will now be heard" - Superman: The Movie
• There goes a reporter from the Daily Planet
• What is she doing?
• "See anything familiar?" - Superman Returns
• Get back! Get back!
• Ahhhhhhhh (girl screams)
• She's fallen in!
• "Doesn't anyone notice this? It feels like I'm taking crazy pills!" - Will Ferrell, Zoolander
• Rawrrr (Bizarro growl)
• What was that?
• You can hear something coming from the inside!
• Hold up
• LOOK OUT! (during this, you can hear the transition clock ticking sound from 24)
• We've got to find that reporter! - talking over some drums and an evil laugh with growls and screaming
• "Didn't your dad ever teach you to LOOK! BEFORE! YOU LEAP!" - Superman Returns

On the last quote, the trains crest the lift hill, and drop down a left hand swooping drop, passing through an open-air Superman-shield tunnel, and entering the vertical loop. After leaving the vertical loop, riders cross under the final brake run and enter the Diving loop, passing a flamethrower, before rising into the Zero-G roll. Following the Zero-G roll comes the Cobra roll, taking riders over the coaster's entrance. Trains then rise into the midcourse brake run. The following quotes are heard from when the train leaves the lift hill to when riders reach the midcourse brake run.

• "You shall not pass!"--Gandalf
• Engine revving sound
• What are we gonna do?!
• TAKE COVER!!
• "You diseased maniac!"
• First we have fun
• "Hey Ma! The meatloaf!"--Will Ferrell, Wedding Crashers
• "I lay my fingers upon thee"
• Pull my finger
• "How you doin?

While in the midcourse brake run is the quote:

• You are now free to move about the cabin

Bizarro riders then enter the second half, diving down towards the left and around a tight turn, passing by several buildings, before rising up through the lift hill supports. Trains then make a slight right, pass under a mist machine, and enter the interlocking corkscrews. After the second corkscrew, riders descend a small drop, rise up and make a sharp left turn, and hit the final brake run. From the midcourse brake run to the final brake run, the following quotes are heard:

• "Walley World"
• WHERE ARE YOU?!--Batman Begins
• HERE!!--Batman Begins
• You can do it!--Rob Schneider, The Water Boy
• BIZARRO SMASH!!
• (Wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round)
• Game over, man, game over!--Hudson, Aliens
• "Come to me, son of Jor-El!"--Superman
• "Hey, batter batter batter!"--Ferris Bueller's Day Off
• "Kneel before Zod!"--Superman
• "Say hello to my little friend!"--Al Pacino, Scarface
• FREEDOM!!!!

After hitting the final brake run, trains make another left turn, and reenter the station, during which these quotes can be heard:

• "That just happened."--Will Ferrell, Talladega Nights
• Bizarro #1!
• Bizarro hip hop song
• "Did I tell you that we must evacuate this planet immediately?"--Superman: The Movie

Changes: Medusa becomes Bizarro

In the process of the transformation of Medusa into Bizarro, the following asthetic changes were made to the ride:

• The track was repainted blue, although the supports are the same purple color.
• A flamethrower was added in the diving loop.
• An open air Superman-shield tunnel was added just before the vertical loop.
• A mist machine was added over the entrance to the first corkscrew.
• Fake buildings were added in the turn following the mid-course brake run.
• The entrance sign was replaced with a new one, although the entrance still passes under the cobra roll.
• The photo camera is still between the Zero-G roll and Cobra roll.

Likewise, the trains also received some changes:

• The two inside seats in the last car of each train were removed, to accommodate the on board audio equipment. This decreases overall maximum rider load to 30 people, as opposed to 32 with most of Bolliger and Mabillard's other floorless coasters.
• Speakers were added to the remaining 30 seats.

References

External links

• Six Flags Great Adventure Medusa ride page
• Google Video - Medusa Front Row video
• Great Adventure Online (Fan Site) Bizarro Ride Page

Coordinates: 40°08′17.62″N 74°25′56.42″W / 40.1382278°N 74.4323389°W / 40.1382278; -74.4323389